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Cheer up, and that heart attack may never happen

Rebecca Smith in London

Whether you are a glass half-full or half-empty person is a matter of life or death, according to Harvard scientists who found that those with a sunny disposition are far less likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes.

Enjoying simple pleasures and having an optimistic outlook reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by about half, regardless of factors such as diet, exercise and smoking, studies showed.

We found that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction and happiness are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease regardless of such factors as a person's age, socio-economic status, smoking status, or body weight

It is thought that a happy-go-lucky attitude makes people more resilient to stress and able to get plenty of rest.

Experts said the findings suggested that doctors should consider mental well-being just as highly as physical condition when deciding whether someone is vulnerable to heart disease or strokes.

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Previous studies have shown that stress and depression increase the chances of being unwell and harm the heart, but less was known about how positive emotions affect health.

In the first review of its kind, a team at Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, Massachusetts, examined 200 separate research studies that looked at psychological well-being and cardiovascular health.

The studies measured the extent to which individuals considered themselves happy or unhappy, satisfaction with their lives and the extent to which they experienced pleasurable feelings.

Some also looked at optimism and hope, the extent to which individuals expected positive outcomes in the future and their enthusiasm for life.

Most found that there was around a 50 per cent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease between those who scored highest on optimism scores compared with those who scored lowest. There were similar results for vitality. Even after accounting for lifestyle factors, emotional vitality was associated with a 28 per cent reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

In one study of 300 men and women having bypass surgery, those with an optimistic outlook were 50 per cent less likely to be admitted to hospital for heart problems or complications six months later. Another study of nearly 2500 men and women showed that emotional well-being, as rated on a depression scale, was linked to a 26 per cent reduced risk of stroke six years later, even after accounting for traditional risk factors and negative mood.

"The absence of the negative is not the same thing as the presence of the positive," said Julia Boehm, the lead author of the study. "We found that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction and happiness are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease regardless of such factors as a person's age, socio-economic status, smoking status, or body weight.

"For example, the most optimistic individuals had an approximately 50 per cent reduced risk of experiencing an initial cardiovascular event compared with their less optimistic peers."

The findings were published online in Psychological Bulletin.

Prof Laura Kubzansky, a senior author of the study, added: "These findings suggest that an emphasis on bolstering psychological strengths rather than simply mitigating psychological deficits may improve cardiovascular health."

Maureen Talbot, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The association between heart disease and mental health is very complex and still not fully understood.

"Although this study didn't look at the effects of stress, it does confirm what we already know, which is that psychological well-being is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, just like staying active and eating healthily. It also highlights the need for health care professionals to provide a holistic approach to care, taking into account the state of someone's mental health and monitoring its effect on their physical health."

The Daily Telegraph, London

2 comments

That's it then I'm stuffed.

Commenter

Tabby

Date and time

April 19, 2012, 2:20PM

There's something missing from this. What if the biochemistry that inclined you to cardiovascular disease also inclined you to lower vitality, including emotional vitality? It's hard being ebulient if your vitality is low and you only just have the resources to bear the burden of the day to day grind. One person with a greater reserve of strength can go through the same challenges and still be cheery, while the other needs to be left alone to recover for tomorrow. Positive affirmations might not be enough to do the trick.